Dream
by Catie-Cat
Summary: Pressing her cheek against his own, Aeris whispered to him softly “This feels perfect. Like a dream.”


Drabble # 3: Dream.

Disclaimer: Characters and places owned by Square Enix. I take credit only for how cleverly I used them.

* * *

Cloud stood at the edge of her garden, watching the delicate blossoms bob and sway in the breeze. In the center of the garden gentle waves rippled on the tiny pond, catching the light and creating baby rainbows. Cloud was mesmerized by this place that transcended the idea of beauty and made it tangible. It was her place, shaped by her hands and her heart.

"Are you ready to begin Cloud? They're waiting for my signal." Vincent said softly from Cloud's right. Cloud nodded mutely, as the gravity of the moment came down on him. A lump was forming in his throat, and tears blurred his eyes. Instead of looking at the people in their formal best as they filled the pews he looked instead at the church. Weeks of hard labor had returned it to a splendor even she had never seen.

The pews had been repaired, stained, and set back in their rows. They'd torn up the rotten floor boards and laid down marble tiles. The building itself had been righted from its precarious tilt, the interior and exterior given fresh coats of paint. Those stained glass windows which remained undamaged had been cleaned of decades of grime, while the broken ones were removed, replaced with windows depicting scenes from the Meteor Crisis. Lastly was the hole in the ceiling, made during Cloud's miraculous fall, had been turned into a skylight. Cloud looked up into the skylight, as the sunlight streamed down around him. Again, he was overwhelmed by his emotions.

He couldn't hear the single violin playing a slow march. He wasn't paying attention as Cid led Elena down the center aisle, followed by Nanaki and Yuffie, Vincent and Tifa, lastly Denzel and Marlene. Suddenly Barret's bulk filled the doorway, his shoulders squared at his solemn duty. Time slowed around Cloud. He looked to the girls on his right in an effort to distract himself. Their dresses were all matching, and as Cloud focused on them they went from black to vibrant colors.

Elena's was a pale sky blue, with an accenting royal blue sash around her waist. A circlet of forget-me-nots crowned her hair. Next to her Yuffie was in pale spring green, her sash dazzling emerald. Her hair was adorned by tiny yellow buttercups. Tifa's gown was carnation pink, her sash the perfect rose red. The color's made her wine colored eyes glow as she gave Cloud a smile. Little rosebuds entwined her hair. Marlene looked angelic in soft violet, with a royal purple sash. Her hair was tied back with a violet ribbon, and violets were woven into her hair.

Cloud looked back to Barret, who was no longer alone. Cloud felt his heart leap. Next to Barret, dwarfed by his form, was Aeris. She was in a snow white gown, with a pale pink sash around her slender waist. The bodice was delicate lace with pearls. The skirt was full and cascading silk, flowing around her slender form and trailing a few feet behind her. Pink roses and white lilies were braided right into her hair. Cloud took it all in in a heartbeat. His eyes locked with hers as she walked slowly down the aisle, her little arm tucked in Barret's mammoth one.

In a moment that spanned years she was beside him, smiling at him shyly. Cloud could not help but grin at her, his heart full to bursting with pride and love. He barely heard the words the priest spoke, until the words became directed to him.

"Cloud, do you take Aeris to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, to love, honor and cherish, for as long as you both shall live?"

"Yes."

"And do you Aeris, take Cloud to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, to love, honor, and cherish, for as long as you both shall live?"

"Yes."

"You two have further vows to say to each other. Now is the time to speak them. Aeris?"

"Cloud, I felt drawn to you from the first moment I saw you. When I was in danger mere hours after our introduction you risked your life to rescue me. During our travels you protected me and, I've never felt safer with anyone else. As you slowly opened up to me, I began to fall in love with you. I promise that will never change. Come what may, I will face down any obstacle that comes between us, because you are the reason I live. You fill my life with joy and light, and I promise to return that joy and light to you tenfold."

"Cloud?"

"Aeris." Cloud began, swallowing hard on the lump in his throat. "When I look into your eyes I see my future. I see a home with a white picket fence and a beautiful garden. I see children, and grandchildren. I see us growing old, sometimes arguing and hating each other, but always forgiving each other. Aeris, I swear to give you a future you deserve, I swear to be strong, dependable, and loving. I swear to protect you from this moment until the moment I die. I swear to give you all of my heart, and be a good keeper of yours."

"With the vows spoken, I shall give you your rings, consecrated in sacred water and blessed by the power of the planet," the priest said. Denzel quietly and solemnly walked up to Vincent and handed him the rings, so he could present them to the priest.

"The ring is a perfect circle, unbroken. Let it be a symbol of your love for each other," the priest said, handing one ring to Cloud, one to Aeris. "Cloud, take your beloved's hand and place the ring on her finger. Repeat after me. With this ring…"

"With this ring…"

"I thee wed."

"I thee wed."

"Aeris, take your beloved's hand and place the ring on his finger. Repeat after me. With this ring…"

"With this ring…"

"I thee wed."

"I thee wed."

"If any here do have just reason why these two should not be joined in the sacred union of marriage, let them speak now or forever hold their peace." When no one spoke, the priest continued.

"I now pronounce thee man and wife. What the Planet has blessed, let no man tear asunder. You may kiss the bride."

At those five words Cloud pulled Aeris into a tight embrace and kissed her with all the passion in his heart. Aeris clung to him desperately, returning his passion with her own. Tears rolled down both their eyes freely, and there were few dry eyes in the building.

Pressing her cheek against his own, Aeris whispered to him softly "This feels perfect. Like a dream."

"I know." Cloud whispered back, as he began to choke on his tears. "I just wish it wasn't."

He opened his eyes to see the ceiling of his room in the Seventh Heaven, his heart aching. It pounded fiercely as he thought of how unfair it all was. How could he dream of something so wonderful when he could never have it? Was he being punished? It was then he noticed the warm body next to his own. In the dim light sneaking through the crack in his curtains all he could see was a pale shoulder and long brown hair.

"Shit." Cloud whispered, sitting up bolt straight in disgust with himself. "Did I really sleep with Tifa last night, only to dream of marrying Aeris?" Cloud was about to run from the room when he heard Tifa's voice outside his room, scolding Denzel for running in the hallway. Shocking Cloud even further was the sight of a tuxedo strewn across the room, as if removed in a hurry, and the sight of a slightly crumpled wedding dress on his chair, with a pale pink satin sash and tiny pearls glittering at him.

Cloud looked at his hand to see a golden band circling his fourth finger. He reached down under the covers to feel he was nude, and reaching over to his partner, he found she was also nude, and had a thin scar about six inches long on her back. Biting his lip, Cloud gently rolled her onto her back to see the soft, rosy lips and the button nose he knew so well. His heart pounding fiercely, he leaned down to kiss each of her eyes. As he pulled back they opened to reveal the emerald eyes he'd loved since the first time he'd caught them.

"Mmm, good morning Mr. Strife." Aeris said with a smile and a luxurious stretch.

"Good morning Mrs. Strife," he responded, kissing her fiercely. She responded in kind, and when the finally separated she laughed happily.

"A girl could get used to waking up like that. But I guess I'm not a girl anymore, huh?" Aeris giggled gently at that. "Why are you in such a good mood?" she asked after a few moments.

"Waking up to find out that some dreams do come true." Cloud said, and before Aeris could answer he rolled over on top of her and kissed her hard. For all though his dream had come true he would never take her for granted, and he loved her like it was the first time all over again.

* * *

I was trying to make it seem at first that it was a memorial service, and not a wedding. I hope that came across. And if you're wondering HOW Cloud's dream came true, well so am I. I decided not to think about it. I will say that it DID come true, that it wasn't a dream within a dream. Inspiration from this dream comes from my cousin's wedding last month. Congratulations Kylie and Dave!

::loves:: The Catie-Cat


End file.
